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Gidley Family History

Gidley Surname Meaning

English (Devon): habitational name from Gidleigh in Devon so named from an Old English personal name Gydda + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Gidley family from?

You can see how Gidley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gidley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gidley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 296 Gidley families living in Devon. This was about 51% of all the recorded Gidley's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Gidley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gidley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Gidley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Gardener and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Gidley. 25% of Gidley men worked as a Gardener and 77% of Gidley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gidley were Stock Exchange Clerk and Private Means.

View Census Data for Gidley | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Gardener
    25%
  • General Labourer Heavy Worker
    13%
  • Painter
    13%
  • Stock Exchange Clerk
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Housewife
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Private Means
    3%

What Gidley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 17,000 census records available for the last name Gidley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gidley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gidley

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Gidley. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Gidley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Gidley. For the veterans among your Gidley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gidley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gidley family history

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What is the average Gidley lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Gidley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Gidley in 1953 was 47, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gidley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gidley ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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